Collapsible crate.



I. 0. HANNAH.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATEJ APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20. 1914.

1, 176,546. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Li 72 22109 Q 1 727044 THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPII cm, WASHINGTON, D-

Patented Mar. 21,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 War/"mu pa COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH ,co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

s rn s. PAT onto;

JEFFERSON DIXON HANNAH, OF FAYETTEVILLE ARKANSAS.

coLLAPsIBnn CRATE} Specification of Letters Paten t. Patgnted [3 21 1916i Application fileilJanuary 20,1914. Serial No. 813,222.

' To all' 'tuhom it may concern Be it known that I, JEFFERSON D/HAN-NAH, a citizen of "the UnitedSt'ates, residing at Fayetteville, in thecountyof'VVashington andState of Arkansas, have invented cer-. taln newand useful Improvements 1n Collapsible Crates; and I do hereby declarethe following tobe a full, clear,- and'exact description of theinvention, such as will: enable others skilled in the art 'towhich it.

appertains to make and use the same.

ThlS lnventlon 1s a shipping crate having for its object to provide acoop 0r crate which? can be folded into compact form for returntransportation.

It is *a purpose of "the invention, also, to

provide a collapsible crate which is simple,-

I set forth in the following detailed descrip:

tion, and particu'larlypointed out in the appended claims. 7

The embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a-perspective view of a crate constructed in accordance withthe invention, the crate being shown in its extended position. Fig. 2 isan end View of the cratev with the parts partially folded. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the folded crate. 'Fig. 4 is a detail perspective viewshowing the'locking means for the slidable bar of the cover. Fig. 5 is adetail view of the bottomplate, the top plate and the pivoted clampscomprising the fastening means, removed from the crate. Fig. 6 is adetail view showing one means of locking the side and'end members intheir extended positions.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the base whichmay be of any suitable material, is indicated at'l havinghend members 2hinged thereto. The end members are preferably of sufficiently thickmaterial to form a support when moved to a vertical position withrelation to the base. This thickening may be accomplished bysecuringextra pieces of material 5. Tliese'upstanding members 4 permit of theside members 5 to be folded toward the base 1 but into contact with theend members 2 which are confined between the .side members 5 and base lwhen the crate is placedin its folded position. A cover '6 is providedfor the crate and is movable vertically with relation to the base 1. Theend members 2, the side members 5 and the cover are each shown composedof a frame anda plurality of slats, although the crate may beconstructed in any other suitable manner. When the side and end membersare raised to a substantially vertical position with relation to thebase, the cover 6 is adapted to rest upon the upper edges thereof, andto be clamped down against said members to maintain them againstmovement toward the base. However, if desired, suitableret'aining means,such as a hook secured to one member 7, may engage an'eye 8 on the othermember to maintain the parts in their upright position.

Animportant feature of the invention resides in the clamping device.more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and3, the base 1 is provided with a baseplate 9 having upturned ends 10, which are preferably flared outwardlyas at 11. If desired, the cover G may be provided with a top plate 12secured thereto. The top plate 12 is preferably provided with means ateach end, for example, the eye 13, to receive a clamping rod 14, whichis pivoted 'at 15 to the outwardly flared end 11 of the base plate 9.The rod is adapted to slide within the eye, or its equivalent device 13,as will be explained hereinafter. Mounted on each of the rods 14, therebeing fourillustrated in the drawings, is a bearing plate 16 which isadapted to be brought into engagement with the ends of the cover plate12, when the crate is in its extended position. WVhen the crate is inits closed position, these bearing plates are adapted to have theiredges rest against the cover plate 12, as illustrated in Fig. 3; Thesebearing plates are preferably provided with upstanding ears 17 to whichare pivotally mounted suitable retaining devices. In the drawings, therods 14 are preferably positioned on opposite sides of the crate, andone of said rods is shown provided with an eve member 18 pivoted to theearsof the bearing plate 16, while the opposite rod 14 is provided witha hooked member 19 pivoted to the ears 17 of the bearing Referring bereadily understood.

the bearing plate and holds the parts rigidly in the extended or foldedpositions, as will The device is especially designed as a chicken coop,and for this purpose one of the bars 21 of the cover isslidably mountedwith relation to the cover, the remaining bars-22 being fixed to thecover. This arrangement permits of the bar 21 to be moved longitudinallywith relation to the coop for a considerable distance, to permit of theplacing of poultry into the coop or taking them therefrom without theescape of the birdsfrom the opened top. 7

Another important feature of the invention resides in themeans to lockthe slidable bar against movement. In Fig. 4 this locking device isdisclosed as a plate 24 pivoted at 25 to one of the fixed bars 22, andadapted to be positioned in between upstanding lugs I 26 secured to theslidable bar 21. The free end of the plate 24 may be provided withanaperture through which is passed an eye 27 on another of the fixed bars22, and any suitable fastening means, such as a cotter pin 28, may bepassed through the eye to retain the plate 24 in engagement with two ofsaid fixed bars, thereby preventing the longitudinal movement of theslidable bar with relation to the coop.

In operation, the ends 2 and sides 5 are raised to the substantialvertical positions, the cover 6 is brought into engagement with the topedges thereof. If retaining devices, such as the hook and eye, 7 and 8,are desired, these devices may be brought into engagement, or the topmay hold the sides and ends vertical by frictional engagement therewith.The upward movement of the cover 6 permits the sliding engagement of therods 14w-ith the eyes 13 of the cover plate 12, after the parts havebeen raised to their proper assembled position, the bearing plates 16are forced down against the cover plate 12 by means of the binding nuts20, whereupon the slidable bar 21 may be moved to close the coop. Thebar can then be locked its closed position bymeans of the cotter pin 28engaging the eye to retain the plate 24 in its locked position withrelation to barv 21. WVhen the device is in the folded positionof Fig.3, the bars 14 slidably engage the eyes 13 of plate 12 until the hookand eye members 18 and 19, are brought into hearing plates away fromeach other, thereby placing tension upon the eye and hook members 18 and19 respectively. 2 Having thus described my invention,what I claim curedto the base, anotherjplate secured to as new and, desire to secure byLetters' Patent is r V 1. A folding crate comprising a base, sides "andends hinged thereto,fa cover, a plate se;

the cover, clamping devices pivoted to each end of the base plateandadapted to slidably i engage the cover plate when ,the crateisfin,

its extended position, and means toconnect said clamping devices itsfolded position.

2.-In a foldingcrate, a y

upwardly directed end'sprovidedwith outwhen the crateis in.

base plate having L wardly turned ears,-a clampingrod pivota-lly mountedto each of said'ears, the freeend of said clamping rod being threadedandpro:

vided with abinding nut, "a bearingplate positioned near an end of eachrod, and a cover plate having a loop eye. secured near each end thereoftoperm'it of-slidable movement of the cover 'platewithrelation tothe lclamping rods. 7 V v a V a 3. A folding crate compr sing a base, sidesand ends hinged to the base, a detachable cover, and clampingdevices toretain the cover in position when the crate is extended or folded, saidclamping devices compr s ng a base plate, a rod pivoted to each end of'said baseplate, said rods being slidably mounted in means positioned onthe cover, a bearing plate slidably mounted near the end of each rod,rod connecting devices. carried by said bearing plates, and binding nutscover, retaining plates mounted on the base and the coverre'spectively,clamping rods pivoted to each end of the base plate and adapted toslidably engagethe cover plate when the crate is in its extendedposition, a bearing plate earned by each clamping rod, an eye carried byone rod, a hook carried by another rod to engage the eye, and means,

to impart tension on the hook and eye.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

adapted to engage said bearing plates and to place tension on saidconnecting devices 4. A foldingcrate comprisingabase, sides and endshinged to the base, a detachable In testimony whereof,Iafiixmy signa

